Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Author Spotlight: Evaluating Traditional Chinese Therapy for Ankylosing Spondylitis in Mice

Author Spotlight: Evaluating Traditional Chinese Therapy for Ankylosing Spondylitis in Mice

Published on: October 27, 2023

Association between 1400 blood metabolites and the risk of ankylosing spondylitis: A 2-stage, 2-sample Mendelian

Fei Li^1,2, Xinhua Zhou¹, Chunning Li¹

¹Department of Rehabilitation, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.

|February 6, 2026

Abstract:

Human blood metabolites have been closely linked to ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in observational studies, yet direct causal evidence remains limited. This study aims to use Mendelian randomization (MR) to pinpoint causal metabolites associated with AS and to predict potential side effects of metabolite interventions. Genetic instruments for exposure were sourced from a genome-wide association study of 1400 blood metabolites, while genome-wide association study data for AS outcomes were derived from the FinnGen cohort. The primary MR analysis was conducted using the inverse variance weighted method. Supplemental analyses were conducted using weighted median, MR-Egger, simple mode, and weighted mode methods, while sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate heterogeneity and pleiotropy. A replication analysis using an additional the UK Biobank cohort was also performed to determine metabolites associated with AS. The Steiger test and linkage disequilibrium score regression were used to further strengthen causal inference. Lastly, a phenome-wide Mendelian randomization analysis was performed to investigate the potential on-target side effects of metabolite interventions. After comprehensive analyses, 3 metabolites (the 2'-deoxyuridine levels, the hate to mannose ratio, and the Uridine to 2'-deoxyuridine ratio) were identified as being genetically associated with AS. The phenome-wide Mendelian randomization analysis revealed that the hate to mannose ratio might have deleterious effects on 4 other diseases, while no significant associations were found for the 2'-deoxyuridine levels or the uridine to 2'-deoxyuridine ratio with other diseases. This systematic MR analysis unveiled the potential role of the 2'-deoxyuridine levels, hate to mannose ratio and uridine to 2'-deoxyuridine ratio as the causal mediator in the development of AS. Considering the advantages and disadvantages, 2'-deoxyuridine appears as the most promising prospective therapeutic target for the prevention of AS.

Keywords:

-deoxyuridine 2 Mendelian randomization ankylosing spondylitis causality metabolites phenome-wide Mendelian randomization

More Related Videos

Collection of Alfalfa Root Exudates to Study the Impact of Di2-ethylhexyl Phthalate on Metabolite Production

Collection of Alfalfa Root Exudates to Study the Impact of Di2-ethylhexyl Phthalate on Metabolite Production

Published on: June 2, 2023

2 in 1: One-step Affinity Purification for the Parallel Analysis of Protein-Protein and Protein-Metabolite Complexes

2 in 1: One-step Affinity Purification for the Parallel Analysis of Protein-Protein and Protein-Metabolite Complexes

Published on: August 6, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Piaget's Stage 2 of Cognitive Development

Piaget's Stage 2 of Cognitive Development

The preoperational stage, the second of Jean Piaget's four stages of cognitive development, spans approximately ages 2 to 7 and is characterized by the emergence of symbolic thinking. During this stage, children use language, images, and symbols to represent objects and concepts, enabling them to engage in imaginative and pretend play. This symbolic thinking supports children's ability to perform make-believe actions, such as imagining a broom as a horse or their hand as a phone, blending...

meta-Directing Deactivators: –NO2, –CN, –CHO, –&NoBreak;CO2R, –COR, –CO2H

meta-Directing Deactivators: –NO₂, –CN, –CHO, –⁠CO₂R, –COR, –CO₂H

All meta-directing substituents are deactivating groups. These substituents withdraw electrons from the aromatic ring, making the ring less reactive toward electrophilic substitution. For example, the nitration of nitrobenzene is 100,000 times slower than that of benzene because of the deactivating effect of the nitro group. The first step in an electrophilic aromatic substitution is the addition of an electrophile to form a resonance-stabilized carbocation. The energy diagrams for...

Random Sampling Method

Random Sampling Method

Sampling is a technique to select a portion (or subset) of the larger population and study that portion (the sample) to gain information about the population. Data are the result of sampling from a population. The sampling method ensures that samples are drawn without bias and accurately represent the population. Because measuring the entire population in a study is not practical, researchers use samples to represent the population of interest. Among the various sampling methods used by...

2° Amines to N-Nitrosamines: Reaction with NaNO2

2° Amines to N-Nitrosamines: Reaction with NaNO₂

Secondary amines react with nitrous acid to form N-nitrosamines, as depicted in Figure 1. Nitrous acid, a weak and unstable acid, is formed in situ from an aqueous solution of sodium nitrite and strong acids, such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, in cold conditions. In the presence of an acid, the nitrous acid gets protonated. The subsequent loss of water results in the formation of the electrophile known as nitrosonium ion.

SN2 Reaction: Kinetics

S_N2 Reaction: Kinetics

Kinetic Studies and Significance
In a chemical reaction, a relationship exists between the concentration of reactants and the rate at which the reaction proceeds. The study to measure this relationship is known as the kinetics of a chemical reaction. Kinetic studies are used to deduce the rate law of a chemical reaction, which provides information about the species involved during the transition state of the rate-determining step. Thus, kinetic studies help to derive the mechanism of a...

SN2 Reaction: Mechanism

S_N2 Reaction: Mechanism

The kinetic studies of SN2 reactions suggest an essential feature of its mechanism: it is a single-step process without intermediates. Here, both the nucleophile and the substrate participate in the rate-determining step.
The presence of the more electronegative halogen in the substrate creates a polarized carbon-halide bond. The halide pulls the electron cloud generating an electrophilic center at the carbon atom. Thus, the carbon atom carries a partial positive charge while the halide has a...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

[Electroacupuncture alleviates articular chondrocyte apoptosis in rats with knee osteoarthritis by regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway].

Nan fang yi ke da xue xue bao = Journal of Southern Medical University·2026

[Effect of electroacupuncture on chronic pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis and its influence on central sensitization].

Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion·2026

CXCR2-Dependent Infiltration of Tumor-Associated Neutrophils Is Linked to Enhanced CD8+ T Cell Effector Function and Reduced Lung Metastasis in 4T1 Breast Cancer.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026

Tumor-Derived Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Promotes Liver Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer Through the Neutrophil Extracellular Traps-CCDC25 Pathway.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2026

HIF-1α suppresses SNPH expression to facilitate liver metastasis of colorectal cancer through regulating mitochondrial dynamics and filopodia formation.

Cell death & disease·2026

Neurofibromin Encoded by the Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) Gene Promotes the Membrane Translocation of SPRED2, Thereby Inhibiting the ERK Pathway in Breast Cancer Cells.

International journal of molecular sciences·2025

See all related articles